Hiyori's Invasion of Personal Thoughts
by PinkFan-Gurl
Summary: While fighting a phantom alongside Yato and Yukine, Hiyori accidentally manages to enter their hallucinations that reveal their greatest desires, some of which catch her off guard.


Hiyori ducked at the last second, and then jumped out of the way.

The phantom wasn't as big as some of the others that she'd fought, but it was quick with large claws, a scorpion tail, and beady black eyes. In the short time that she had been assisting Yato in his endeavors, Hiyori had quickly learned that even the less threatening phantoms were still deadly in one way or another.

Landing on her feet smoothly, Hiyori poised herself for the next incoming attack when Yato shoved her to the side, narrowly missing the creature's tail that would have punctured both of them. "Hiyori," Yato barked, jumping in front of her, "what did I tell you about the tail?"

"I wasn't about to get stung," she replied hotly. Taking a running start, she used a low balcony as a step stone and launched herself back at the phantom. Her foot smashed into the creature's eye and it reared back in anguish.

Yato took the opening in the phantom's blindspot to slash at its sides with Yukine. He managed to get a few swipes in before the monster adjusted to its new disability. "Bastard," Yato spat as he limboed beneath one of the claws reaching out to get him.

Hiyori leapt at the claw, effectively using her body weight to snap it shut before it could close around her friend's body. "Move it," she panted, hurriedly looping his arm with her own. Yato pushed himself up off the ground and then the two of them were sprinting down the road in an attempt to find a battleground that would give them an advantage.

"Holding up?" Yato laughed through the strain in his voice.

Hiyori rolled her eyes despite the mild stitch in her side. "No more or less than normal."

"Get ready," he warned, slowing to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. "It's coming and it's angry now."

"Must not have liked me stepping on it's face very much."

"Probably didn't like Yukine stabbing at him much either."

"Hey," Yukine exclaimed, his face appearing in the metal of the sword. "I can hear you talking about me."

Yato smiled cheekily at his shinki. "Oh good! I thought you were ignoring me, you were so quiet!"

For a moment, the night seemed silent and calm; the dark aura of the phantom had seemed to disappear when the hair on the back of her neck standing up alerted Hiyori that it had finally caught up. "Yato!"

"I know," he said. His blue eyes were narrowed and glowing. With Yukine glimmering threateningly in either hand, Yato had suddenly become much more terrifying. "It's back."

Hiyori made a three-hundred-sixty degree turn as she scanned the sky for the phantom. "I don't see it," she murmured, "but I can sense it."

"Mhmm," Yato grumbled. "Hiyori, stand back," he said, using the sword in his right hand to direct which direction she should flee.

It was in that moment of Yato lowering his guard slightly that the beast surged forward. Hiyori screamed to warn them, but she was much to slow in comparison to the lightening quick phantom. In seconds it had covered fifty feet and was towering over Yato.

"Ah geez." Yato's back was to the creature. The phantom hissed, the pincers on its face vibrating violently. Yato barely saved himself from being nipped, but the same moment that he slashed at the phantom's mouth, the scorpion-like tail whipped around and pierced him in the stomach.

"Yato!" Hiyori heard Yukine chorus with her as Yato's body convulsed on the ground.

The shinki reverted to his human form and even from the distance Hiyori saw the tears rolling down Yukine's face. "You bastard!" he screamed at the monster.

Hiyori saw the the tail moving before Yukine did, and she broke out in a run for the two boys. She had to get them out of there. If she could somehow take out the phantom, then get Yato back to Kofuku, she was sure that he could be saved.

Yukine attempted a borderline to drive off the scorpion phantom, but his attempt was weak from his fear and the scorpion tail broke through the defense and nicked the small boy in the cheek with the tip of it's stinger. Yukine's face contorted in pain and he screamed as his body fell on top of Yato's.

Hiyori skidded to a semi-halt as tears flooded her eyes and her legs trembled violently. She wasn't fast enough? Did she just witness her friends die?

The phantom turned in her direction, giving Hiyori the grounding she needed. Anger poured into her veins. Salt infiltrated her mouth and nose. Her chest burned. With a burst of new energy, Hiyori charged the phantom at full speed. Yato warned her on a regular basis not to go full power against phantoms because if her tail were to be severed then she would die, but at this point she was too clouded by loathing to think straight.

She aimed her kick for the phantom's only functioning eye, but the beast anticipated her movements and swiped at her with a claw. Hiyori twisted her legs into a split, but the claw managed to graze her thigh, leaving a mark that resembled a mild burn.

She hissed as she alighted on her feet; her leg felt like it was on fire!

To her left was Yato and Yukine; they were pale in the face and shivering to the point that they they were sweating, but they were both alive.

"I'll get you out of here," she shouted at their unconscious bodies. "I promise!"

Hiyori whirled around to face the phantom again only to be met with two beady eyes. She left herself vulnerable.

And just like that, a scorpion tail plunged itself into her heart.

…

The first thing that Hiyori noticed when her eyes fluttered open was that she was not in her own bed.

The blankets were red and plush, much nicer than anything she would ever be able to own. The sheets were silk and the pillows were the softest down she had ever touched. A gold canopy fluttered above her, giving off a royal shine.

The second thing that she noticed was that the burn on her leg was gone and that there wasn't any pain where the scorpion had stung her. For a moment Hiyori wondered if she was just in the midst of some elaborate dream, but she clearly remembered how real it was when she was fighting the phantom, the pain that had seared up her leg.

Was that what it felt like to be blighted?

Kicking back the covers, Hiyori slid out of the bed. She didn't even know where she was so how was she going to find Yukine and Yato? Were they even in here?

The doorway opened up to a grand hall lined in gold on either side with a bright red carpet that adorned the floor. A noise to the right signaled that there were people in that direction, so she decided to start there. As she walked, a servant carrying what looked like to be roasted fowl hurried past her from behind without acknowledging her.

"Excuse me?" she called out. The man ignored her, instead picking up his speed as he strode down the corridor. Hiyori winced slightly, unsure of what to do other than to follow him. "Uh, sir," she tried again once she had matched strides with him. He still seemed unaware of her presence.

"My name is Hiyori Iki." She increased her pace again to keep up. What was up with this guy? "I'm not quite sure where I am and I was wondering if you could direct me? I'm looking for my two friends, Yato and Yukine. They both got stung by an, uh, _creature_. I think I may have been also but I don't remem—HEY! I _'m talking to yo_ —" Hiyori gasped when her hand passed through the shoulder of the servant.

She jerked back, stumbling softly as she watched the servant hurry out of her sight. When he was gone, Hiyori regarded her hand with sudden interest. It was weird that her hand had passed through the man's shoulder. As a half-phantom, she recognized that it was harder for other people to see her, but she had always been able to touch tangible objects, people included.

The fact that her hand had appeared ghost-like in the sense unnerved her. Just where the heck was she?

Pouring on new speed and no longer hindered by her injury, Hiyori raced through the corridor in the same direction that the servant had fled. Before long, she had caught up with him but considering he was no help whatsoever, she flew by him. It was barely a minute before the corridor opened into a massive ballroom.

People of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and social status were milling around the room. Most of them had a five yen coin in their hand that they were flaunting to one another. An up-raised dais was in the middle of the room where hundreds of people were lined up in anticipation.

Hiyori tried shoving her way through the crowd before she remembered that she could just walk through them. There was no point in further interrogation of the party goers, but as she skirted around the dais, Hiyori found herself with her jaw dropped.

Up on the dais, on a sleek wooden throne, was Yato. Still dressed in all his tracksuit glory, he now sported a red cape, a crown, and a pink feathered fan was in his hand. He looked...rather ridiculous to say the least, but Hiyori was happy that she had found him!

"Yato!" Hiyori hauled herself up onto the platform, expecting him to be excited to see her, but he seemed to be unable to see her just as the others were.

However, now that she was on the platform, Hiyori was able to see the second throne that had been shielded from her on the other side of the dais. There, sitting in a throne identical to Yato's, was _her_!

Hiyori did a double take. When the scene stayed the same, she nearly fainted. A trick, perhaps? How could it possibly be her when she was in fact staring at the look alike this instant?

And yet...she couldn't help admitting that it looked exactly like her; the only minor differences were that the fake Hiyori had her hair pulled up in twin-tails and sported a loose sweatshirt that hung off of her shoulders as well as a pair of short-shorts that she wouldn't ever wear in real life. The other odd thing was that she too had a crown similar to Yato's.

"What is going on here?" she screamed at Yato.

Despite being mere inches from his face, Yato didn't blink. Instead, he just glanced over at the fake Hiyori and smiled tenderly. Hiyori gulped, feeling her own face heat up despite that his smile was meant for her _fake_ self. "Hey, Hiyori?"

The fake Hiyori smiled over at Yato. "What's up?" Her eyes sparkled as she added a teasing, "milord?"

Yato blushed and scratched behind his ear the way he tended to when he was nervous. "I was thinking maybe one or two more wishes for our dear fans and then we go hang out?"

The fake Hiyori's eyes sparkled even brighter. "Yeah! I bet Yukine is bored too. We should all have a movie night in the temple theatre!"

Yato beamed as the fake Hiyori slipped her hand into his. "Sounds great."

Hiyori felt like she had been intruding on a personal conversation until she remembered that it _was her who was having the conversation with him._

Well, maybe not technically, but it definitely was some _version_ on her.

Hiyori racked her brain for some sort of explanation as to what she was seeing. It appeared to her that this was some reality where Yato had finally made it to the top; he was the king of the world….did that mean that...she was his _queen_ in this reality?

Hiyori's face blossomed into a lush pink and she fought back the growing knot in her stomach as the puzzle pieces connected in her brain. Recently Yato had made a joke about her being his queen when he made it big, but she had just brushed it aside as a joke. Had he been serious?

Her mind wandered back to the cherry blossom viewing party where she had struck up a conversation with Kazuma on their errand to the market. She had asked about phantom capabilities and he had explained about a certain breed of phantom that used a mortal or immortal's greatest desire as a distraction in battle.

Hiyori felt her face flush again. Yato's greatest desire was for her to be his booty-shorts wearing queen?

A gong rang, jogging her out of her thoughts. People spilled out of the doorways. The fake Hiyori stood up and stretched out her back. "That's better," she murmured through a yawn. "Sitting can be such a bore sometimes."

Yato tore off his cape and crown and dumped them on the throne beside his fan, leaving him in his regular track suit. "I'm tired too. Let's grab Yukine and head to the party."

Fake Hiyori looped her arm with Yato's and rested her head against his shoulder. "That sounds great, my Yato god."

Yato pulled her closer with his arm around her waist. "You're full of trouble."

"I know," fake Hiyori giggled.

Hiyori was glad that no one was able to see the gag-face that she pulled at her fake self's behaviour. Like she would ever act that flirty with someone. Yato really had to be dreaming.

"What happened to the movie night?" she asked them sarcastically. Neither of them acknowledged her, but that was to be expected.

Hiyori followed them down a corridor different from the one she came in from but it was just as grand. Most of the time she was blushing at the sweet and funny comments Yato made to her fake self and cringed at the fake Hiyori's flirting attempts. She didn't miss how they held hands the whole time or how fake Hiyori leaned her head on his shoulder.

After some time, Hiyori must have made a wrong turn at one of the hallway intersections because she lost sight of both Yato and her dumb doppleganger. (She struggled to convince herself that the only reason she despised the fake Hiyori so much was because she was totally out of character and _not_ that she was _jealous_ of the fake Hiyori or anything.)

"Time to backtrack," she growled under her breath.

About halfway back up the hall, she noticed that the walls were no longer gold and the floor had switched from the red carpet to beige carpet. When she turned around again, there was a solid wall where she had just come from.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up for the second time that day. She had just figured out that she was in a vision of Yato's greatest desire, and now where was she?

She turned back around and this time there was a door in front of her. Light filtered from the top and bottom cracks. "This keeps getting more and more like Alice in Wonderland, doesn't it?"

Hiyori eased the door open, unsure of whether the people in this world would be able to see her or not. The door gave way to a small, but comfortable kitchen that resembled the one at her house a little bit. A pair of French styled doors and a window above the sink allowed golden sunlight into the room.

Yukine sat at the table in the kitchen with a math workbook in front of him and an empty glass to his side. His hair was mussed up, like he had just gotten up from a nap.

Similarly to before, there was another fake Hiyori, except this one already different from the flirty one that was the first. She had on a simple pair of jeans, a loose top, and mismatched socks. Her hair was in a bun at the base of her neck. All in all, Hiyori wasn't appalled by her attire.

"Hello?" She said casually, but like before no one acknowledged her existence. Watching the fake Hiyori and Yukine with a certain calmness, Hiyori slipped into the seat across from Yukine.

The blonde was focusing on his math work before him intently. He erased something, jotted something down, and then looked to the fake Hiyori expectantly. "I did it!" he said excitedly.

"I knew you could! Let's see how you did." Fake Hiyori turned off the sink and wiped the soap from her hands. Smiling brightly, she leaned over Yukine to check over his work while he watched her expectantly. "I don't see anything wrong," she said.

Yukine breathed a sigh of relief, making fake Hiyori giggle. "I was worried I may have messed up a step towards the end."

Fake Hiyori crouched down at the table so that they were at eye level. "Now why would you think that?" Her voice was tender and her eyes were gentle. "You're my little genius and don't ever forget that. Okay?"

Yukine nodded slowly and Hiyori knew him well enough that he was fighting off a smug smile. "Hey, Hiyori?" he asked once fake Hiyori had turned back towards the dishes.

"Hmm?" she asked.

Yukine suddenly got quiet, then looked up at her with a little bit more confidence. "I was wondering if I could hang out with Kazuma and Suzuha this friday?"

Fake Hiyori pursed her lips. "Where would you be?" she asked, abandoning the sink for the fridge.

"Kazuma's house," Yukine answered confidently.

Fake Hiyori pulled out a half-gallon of milk and refilled his empty glass. "Who else is going to be there?"

Suddenly Yukine's ears and nose tinged pink. "B-bishamon and Tsuguha."

"Girls, huh?" Fake Hiyori regarded Yukine with a wry smile which only made him blush harder. Hiyori had to admit that this Hiyori #2 was much more fun to watch than Hiyori #1. "I should've known."

"It's not like that!" Yukine ran the tip of his finger around the rim of his now full glass. "Kazuma likes Bisha so he wanted her to come over but she doesn't go anywhere without Tsuguha...so _that's_ why there will be girls there."

Fake Hiyori returned the milk to the fridge and then accompanied Yukine back at the table. "I don't know," she said, "I don't remember you picking up the living room like I asked you too."

Yukine sat up straight in his chair. "I'll do it right now! And every day for a week! Please, Hiyori? I really want to go."

Hiyori glanced to her fake self, curious as to what her doppelganger would decide. By this point it was pretty obvious that this was Yukine's interpretation of a greatest desire and that he seemed to view Hiyori as being a mother role, though she was still kind of confused as to why it would be his greatest desire if this was kind of their relationship already.

The fake Hiyori giggled again and pressed a soft kiss to Yukine's hair as she stood behind him. "I don't see a problem with it," she said finally. Yukine started to thank her when he was cut off by her extra, "but you'll have to check with Yato first when he gets home."

Yukine deflated in his chair, refusing to look at the fake Hiyori. Right on cue, a door somewhere outside of the kitchen opened and closed. "I'm home!" Yato's voice rang throughout the room.

Hiyori was surprised by his sudden induction into the dream. She had thought that Yukine's desire was for her to be a mother to him, but was it more than that?

Yato strolled into the kitchen. His hair was done up in a short ponytail and instead of the tracksuit, he had on black jeans, a blue top, and black and white sneakers. His fluffy-fluff scarf was nowhere in sight. Hiyori had to give Yukine props for giving Yato a make-over in his vision.

"How was work?" fake Hiyori asked wistfully, continuing on with the dishes.

Yato stretched. "Marvelous. Must've had four hundred worshippers come in today."

"Thank Ebisu that you're finally making profit," Yukine murmured. He took a sip from his milk.

Yato turned his attention to Yukine and his blue eyes lit up. "And how has my lil' boy Yukine been today?"

Yukine swatted at Yato's hands when he tried to ruffle his hair. "I'm fine, Yato, don't coddle me."

Yato crossed his arms, pouting. "You're such a Hiyori's Boy, Yukine."

"So are you!" Yukine shot back.

"Hey, you two." Fake Hiyori set the last clean dish on the rack to dry, then wiped her hands off. Smiling broadly, she jerked Yukine to his feet and then promptly squashed him between her and Yato in a hug.

Yato wrapped his arms around her as well, catching Yukine so that he couldn't worm away. "Let me out! I hate you both," he exclaimed, but his struggling was half hearted. He hadn't even protested twenty seconds before he melted into the embrace.

Fake Hiyori nuzzled her face into Yukine's hair and held onto Yato's shoulder tightly. "I love both my boys," she said sweetly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Hiyori stood up from the table, unsure of what to do. She wanted to simultaneously cry and join the hug at the same time. Yukine didn't just want a mother figure, he wanted a _family_. And the family he wanted most was for Yato and her to be by his side.

Hiyori collapsed on the floor, wondering how life would be if she could fulfill his dream. And Yato…

Could she help him fulfill his _full_ dream?

Sure she was more than happy to help him reach his goal at a shrine, but what about the part where he wanted her as his queen?

Hiyori laughed through her tears at the thought. She had to admit, being by Yato's side for eternity sounded pretty great. The scary part was that she didn't even care if she had to leave behind her family and mortal life forever in order to accomplish it.

She loved her boys.

Hiyori loved them and leaving them sounded like a death sentence.

When she looked up from the floor, the kitchen was gone and was instead replaced by a green field of hills. At the base of the hill was a familiar cherry tree.

This time, Hiyori didn't feel lost. This time, she knew exactly where she was because she often visited this place in her own thoughts and dreams. This time, she was in her _own_ version desire.

At the base of the hill, Hiyori broke out into a sprint until she reached the cherry tree. Breathing heavily, she stopped short a few paces because _there they were._

Her boys.

They were both curled up against the tree with the peaceful signs of sleep on their faces. Yukine had his face buried into Yato's chest on one side while Yato's other side seemed to be waiting for someone.

Hiyori smiled, fully aware that the vacant spot was for her. Carefully, she positioned herself into Yato's arm and snuggled up to his body. He seemed to recognize her presence because his arm immediately tightened around her and held her close to him. Yukine stirred slightly but just enough for him to grab Hiyori's hand and entwine their fingers gently.

Hiyori inhaled softly, taking in the scent of cherry blossoms. They were sweet, pure, and fresh.

But they would never smell as sweet as Yato.

…

The poke in the cheek was what really had woke her up, but the jab in the side was what was responsible for her sitting up so quickly.

Hiyori shot up like a bullet, effectively smacking heads with Yato who had been sitting with his face inches above hers. "I told you not to do that!" Yukine exclaimed, putting an arm around Hiyori's shoulder.

Yato pressed his palm to his forehead. "It's not like I meant to hit her in the face!"

Hiyori groaned, suddenly becoming reaquainted with a searing pain in her right thigh though it had dulled significantly. "What?" She tried to stand, but Yato pushed her back down onto the island of quilts she had been sitting on.

"I'm afraid that's not a good idea yet, Hiyori," Yukine soothed gently. Hiyori noticed that there was a cut on his face with pink around it. Infection. "Kofuku and Daikoku patched your leg up as best they could but you still shouldn't move around for a little while."

She reached out towards his face and when she couldn't reach, Yukine leaned forward so that she could cup his cheek in her palm. "Yukine," she mumbled through her slurred thoughts. "You're face is-?"

Yukine smiled lightly as he covered her hand with his palm. "I'm fine, Hiyori, I promise."

She attempted a nod but her neck was too stiff. Instead, she slowly turned towards Yato who had already recovered from bonking his head. "Yato?"

Yato smiled, coming closer to her again. "Hey, there," he whispered. "Was wondering when you'd wake up."

"I don't remember…" She paused. "You were stung. And Yukine. And," pain shot up through her leg, "me."

"It was a dangerous breed of phantom," Yato said, his voice a bit more cold. "They target your emotions and put their prey in suspended states of euphoria based on what the beholder wants most."

Hiyori blushed at that, thinking back to the booty shorts in Yato's temple vision.

Yato didn't seem to notice however. He lied down on his arm so that his face was level with hers. "Daikoku sensed something off and he and Kofuku went to check it out. They got us at the last minute." He chuckled in embarrassment. "They still haven't stopped teasing me about my incompetence."

Hiyori closed her eyes, lips dusted with the ghost of a smile. "Hey, Yato?" She felt him shift slightly beside her, and she took that as meaning that he was listening. "Could you, uh, hold me?"

She wondered if he was blushing or if he'd even do it, but then she felt his arm slip under her head to pull her closer and the other draped over her middle. His chin rested on the top of her head.

Hiyori peaked her eyes open at Yukine who had a bright blush on his face. Using the hand that was still cupping his face, Hiyori gently pulled him down so that he was nuzzled up on her other side.

And that's how they stayed for a long time.

Just her and her boys.

...

4/4/17


End file.
